Thursday, 26 March 2015

Two Al-Jazeera journalists detained in NE Nigeria

Nigeria’s military has detained two Al-Jazeera television journalists in the country’s northeast, where troops have been battling Boko Haram militants.

Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said the pair were “found to have been loitering around areas where military operations are ongoing in the northeast and have been restrained in Maiduguri”.

The statement, posted on Twitter and the military’s website on Wednesday, identified the journalists as Ahmed Idris and Mustafa Andy.

They were “noted to have been moving around various locations including restricted areas in Yobe and Borno state (and) were also operating without any protection, accreditation or due clearance”.

Al-Jazeera said on its website that Idris, a reporter, and Andy, a producer, had been “officially detained until further notice” since Tuesday and called for their immediate release.

“They have all the relevant paperwork to report on the Nigerian elections (this Saturday) and stories related to the election,” the broadcaster said.

“Both men had just finished filming a story on the military with their cooperation.

“They were not ‘loitering’ but were in the hotel room and had only passed through the restricted areas of Yobe and Borno State to get to Maiduguri.”

Al-Jazeera said camera equipment belonging to the men, who are both Nigerian nationals, was confiscated.

Nigeria’s military has had tense relations with the media, particularly overseas organisations, frequently accusing them of misrepresenting the conflict.

The government has also been accused of restricting visas for foreign journalists to cover this Saturday’s general election.

Idris recently reported for Al-Jazeera’s English service from Chibok, in Borno state, from where more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April last year.

The government-organised trip saw Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lay the foundation stone of a new school to replace the one destroyed in the attack.

He also interviewed military commanders involved in the operations against Boko Haram, which have gathered pace since February and led to a number of claimed successes.

Olukolade said the journalists had been “monitored by military intelligence operatives” until they reached the Borno state capital.

“This followed the increasing suspicion that their activities were aimed at interfering with the ongoing military operations in the area,” he added.

“The motive, activities and some material in possession of these individuals are now being investigated.”

Buhari planning to send me to prison –Patience

The wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, says the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) will send her to jail if he is elected.

In a manner typical of a prayer session, Patience, at the Peoples Democratic Party rally in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, invoked the ‘Holy ghost fire’ to consume PDP’s opponents.

Patience also called on the crowd to vote for the PDP at the polls.

Patience, who had earlier entertained the crowd of supporters by dancing to household music tracks such as ‘Kukere’ and ‘Personally,’ said the Goodluck Jonathan-led government was a lover of women and youths in the country and should, therefore, be encouraged to continue.

She said, “I want to warn you not to listen to the All Progressives Congress. The APC does not have materials to match what the PDP has on (the) ground. Their candidate was there in governance initially. What did he do? They only sent your fathers to prison.

“They are planning to even send me to prison. Holy Ghost fire! Holy Ghost fire! Holy Ghost fire! They have nothing to offer. They only say ‘I will’, ‘I will’.

“A train is moving and it has now got to Oyo State. When we talk about train, some of you may have not seen a train before now. The last time a train moved in this country was when I was small and in primary school.

“When my children were small, they asked me what a train was. I had to take them to London and we entered a train from London to Paris. But the PDP government has brought this back to Nigeria. If you want to see train working today, you don’t need to travel again.”

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, who spoke earlier, said Jonathan deserved to be re-elected because he gave women 35 per cent representation in his cabinet.

She said, “I enjoin the women and youths of Oyo State to vote for our party on Saturday. I have seen a campaign advert by the APC in the newspapers saying ‘God give us men’. But our prayer in the PDP is different. We pray that God gives us men and women.

“Jonathan is the first President in Nigeria to give women 35 per cent. Going by the National Conference report, the President has said that if women have 35 per cent, youths will also have 30 per cent.

“I was looking at the list of the universities set up by this administration, and I saw that one of them was set up even in the hometown of his opponent – Gen. Buhari. I think that if Buhari could not set up a university in his own state, Jonathan has done it and, therefore, deserves to continue.”

Other dignitaries at the event were the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Teslim Folarin, his wife, Angela; wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs. Kemi Mimiko, and the party’s senatorial candidates in Oyo State

‘Jonathan should consider himself out-going President

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Former Acting Governor of Kogi State, Chief Clarence Olafemi Thursday declared that the almost 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the helms of affair is nearing its end.

He called on Nigerians to do the needful by voting out President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the country has had enough of PDP misrule.

Addressing journalists in the state capital, Lokoja, Olafemi, a member of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, said the party was at the threshold of setting the nation on the path of
true greatness.

He added: “PDP boasted it will rule Nigeria for the next 60 years but it is clear to Nigerians it cannot even put its own house in order for barely15 years. PDP has failed Nigerians and they will rightly be
voted out of office begining Saturday.

“Goodluck Jonathan is Nigeria’s outgoing President and by the grace of God, General Mohammadu Buhari is our next President. Nigerians expected so much but they were soundly disappointed.

“It is clear to all that another four years of PDP will be disaster for the country and that is why the call for change has taken over everywhere”.

The politician called on Nigerians to come out en-mass to cast their vote for the APC presidential candidate, and stay back to ensure that their votes are counted.

“Nigerians should come out en-mass to vote General Buhari. They should conduct themselves in peaceful manner while they remain to see their votes counted.”

Security beefed up at Edo INEC office

There was heavy security presence at the Edo State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as sensitive materials were distributed to the 18 local government areas in the state.

Agents of political parties were seen hanging around INEC office to monitor movement of the sensitive materials.

An APC member who pleaded anonymity said they want to ensure that the sensitive materials are no hijacked or diverted.

As at press time, the materials were still being sorted out and distributed to various local government headquarters under heavy security escort.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, said the commission was ready for Saturday’s election.

He said steps taken by the commission were to overcome challenges of late arrival of materials.

According to him, “We have received the sensitive materials and these materials will be at the local government today. By Friday, the Supervising Presiding Officer will proceed to Registration Area Centre. This time, it is the polling officers that will be waiting for voters.

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi Thursday morning resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared for All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olanusi, an indigene of Supare in Akoko South West local government area of the State became the deputy governor of the State in 2009 under the platform of Labour Party before he defected along side with the governor to PDP in October, 2014.

It was learnt that the governor, Olusegun Mimiko and his deputy had been at loggerheads for so long, leading to rumours that the governor was making attempt to impeach him.

Details later….

Buhari: I’m sure of victory

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is confident of victory in Saturday’s election.

Reason: This, said Gen. Buhari, is his brightest chance ever for the job he bidded for in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

He spoke at the Seventh Bola Tinubu Colloquium to mark the former Lagos State governor’s 63rd birthday.

Gen. Buhari attributed his hope at the poll to the “selfless” efforts of Tinubu, who is the main motivator of the merger of major opposition parties into the mega party that the APC became.

Gen Buhari, accompanied by his running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other leaders of the party, came into the Eko Hotel venue as Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola was delivering his address.

His entry momentarily stopped the event.

When Gen. Buhari, who was praised by all the speakers, took the podium, he expressed his appreciation to party leaders and members, saying: “I’m confident of victory.”

He said though the process was awash with money, he was going into Saturday’s election with hope, “because if I could win the primaries without spending money, I will certainly win on Saturday”.

Gen. Buhari admitted that this election is his first genuine attempt to aspire to becoming the president, alluding to the possibility that the journey would end at the State House.

He said: “In the previous attempts, I only ended up at the Supreme Court.”

Gen. Buhari said the APC had come to stay and that the party owes its success so far to Tinubu and former Interim Chairman Chief Bisi Akande.

Hate campaigners got a bloody nose yesterday. Former President Ibrahim Babangida protested against attacks by President Goodluck Jonathan’s supporters on his person and others.

He cited other generals under attack as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the late ex-Head of State Gen, Sani Abacha, ex-Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and a former Minister of Defence, Gen. T.Y Danjuma.

Although Babangida did not mention names, First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan and Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council spokesperson, Femi Fani-Kayode, have been criticised by many for championing hate campaign.

He said those promoting hate documentaries are “intellectually delinquent or they suffer memory loss”.

He said nothing forbade former military leaders from contesting presidential elections, adding that leadership training is better grounded in the military than any other profession.

Gen. Babangida, in a statement he personally signed and released by his media office, said the stigmatisation of past military leaders accounted for “espirit de corps amongst ourselves in support of our military institution and colleagues when the stakes are high”.

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